The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) released a statement on Saturday morning about the closure of the Tyson Foods beef packing facility in Lexington. While the Lexington facility was non-union, the UFCW represents thousands of meatpacking workers in North America, including some facilities in Nebraska.
Mark Lauritsen, Director of the Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division and International Vice President at UFCW International, said:
“The closure of the Tyson Foods beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska is a devastating blow to the hundreds of meatpacking workers who every day put in the hard, often unseen work of keeping America fed. While these workers were not members of UFCW, we stand with them. These men and women are the backbone of an industry that strengthens local economies and sustains our nation’s food supply.”
“Layoffs in towns like Lexington don’t just impact workers inside the plant. Families now face uncertainty and anxiety heading into the holiday season and small businesses will feel the strain as spending drops. When a company as large and as profitable as Tyson shuts down a facility like this, it is the community – not the corporation – that pays the biggest price.
“This decision also raises serious questions about our national priorities. The Administration and Congress should be working to strengthen these workers and their communities by boosting production here at home. Instead, our leaders are flirting with importing beef from Argentina and unleashing tariffs that cut off foreign markets to American beef, pork, and chicken. Meatpacking workers across this country deserve better.”
